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GLOUCESTER CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE : PLANNING DATE : 2nd SEPTEMBER 2014 ADDRESS/LOCATION : GALA CLUB, FAIRMILE GARDENS,

GLOUCESTER APPLICATION NO. & WARD : 14/00506/FUL LONGLEVENS EXPIRY DATE : 4TH AUGUST 2014 APPLICANT : WILTON AFC PROPOSAL : ERECTION OF FLOODLIGHTS, 1M

CONCRETE HARDSTANDING AND SPECTATOR COVERED AREA

REPORT BY : FIONA RISTIC NO. OF APPENDICES/ : SITE LOCATION PLAN OBJECTIONS 12 LETTERS OF REPRESENTATION 1.0 SITE DESCRIPTION AND PROPOSAL 1.1 The application site lies to the east of Fairmile Garden, and it consists of both

the GALA Club and sports ground to the south. The sports area currently contains a football pitch with two team dugouts and a small spectator area. There are white railings around the pitch. This application is for four floodlight columns around the pitch measuring 18.29m in height, a 1m concrete hardstanding around the outside of the pitch and a covered spectator area at the eastern side of the pitch.

1.2 The Club house is in flood zone 2 but the sports pitch is outside the flood zone. The club house is to the north of the pitch and there are residential properties to the north-west, west and south of the pitch. To the east of the site is the Oxstalls Tennis Centre. The applicant has confirmed since the application was submitted that the flood lights would be illuminated on a Tuesday and a Wednesday and would be turned off at 9.30pm. The applicant has stated that the application is needed so the club can go to the next level in the FA pyramid. Their average game attendance is 43 people and they do not anticipate any dramatic increase in attendance. They also confirm that the existing stand is being given a face lift to improve the appearance and use of the stand.

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1.3 The new stand would be built from steel frame with timber boards and would measure 2.5m sloping down to 2.2m in height and 34m in width and 2m in depth.

2.0 RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY 2.1 02/00067/FUL-Erection of 4 no. 8 metre high floodlights to illuminate football

training area between the hours of 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm – GRANTED – 05/03/02 – not erected

3.0 PLANNING POLICIES 3.1 The statutory development plan for Gloucester remains the 1983 City of

Gloucester Local Plan. Regard is also had to the policies contained within the 2002 Revised Deposit Draft Local Plan which was subject to two comprehensive periods of public consultation and adopted by the Council for development control purposes. The National Planning Policy Framework is also a material consideration.

3.2 For the purposes of making decisions, the National Planning Policy

Framework sets out that, policies in a Local Plan should not be considered out of date where they were adopted prior to the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework. In these circumstances due weight should be given to relevant policies in existing plans according to their degree of consistency with the National Planning Policy Framework.

3.3 The policies within the 1983 and the 2002 Local Plan remain therefore a

material consideration where they are consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework.

3.4 From the Second Stage Deposit Plan the following policies are relevant: BE. 21 – Safeguarding of amenity FRP.10 - Noise TR.9 - Parking Standards TR.31 – Road Safety BE.5 – Community Safety

FRP.9 – Light Pollution FRP.1a – Development and flood risk

Development of sensitive uses such as schools, hospitals, houses and offices

will not be permitted where they would be adversely affected by existing polluting uses.

3.5 In terms of the emerging local plan, the Council has prepared a Joint Core Strategy with Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Councils and published its Pre-Submission Document which will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in autumn 2014. Policies in the Pre-Submission Joint Core Strategy have been prepared in the context of the NPPF and are a material consideration. The weight to be attached to them is limited by the fact that the Plan has not yet

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been the subject of independent scrutiny and do not have ‘development plan status’. In addition to the Joint Core Strategy, the Council is preparing its local City Plan which is taking forward the policy framework contained within the City Council’s Local Development Framework Documents which reached Preferred Options stage in 2006.

3.6 On adoption, the Joint Core Strategy and City Plan will provide a revised

planning policy framework for the Council. In the interim period, weight can be attached to relevant policies in the emerging plans according to

• The stage of preparation of the emerging plan • The extent to which there are unresolved objections to relevant policies;

and • The degree of consistency of the relevant policies in the emerging plan to

the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework 4.0 CONSULTATIONS

4.1 Environmental Health – no objection subject to lighting being restricted to two

nights a week and being switched off by 9.30pm. This needs to be restricted by condition.

4.2 Highways – “ I have carried out a site visit at the Gala Fairmile Club and

Oxstalls Tennis Centre. I met with the representatives of both the Tennis Centre and Committee Members of the Gala Fairmile Club. It would appear that there is no existing relationship between the organisations regarding shared access from the Oxstalls Tennis Centre road into the Gala Fairmile Club.Having said that, neither party were able to determine what access rights existed from the Oxstalls Tennis Centre into the Gala Fairmile Club as both are tenants of either or both the City and County Council’s and are not fully aware of the historical arrangements regarding access.

Therefore I can only conclude that the access from Oxstalls Tennis Centre

into the Gala Fairmile Club is not formally used. From information gained from the Committee Members of the Gala Fairmile Club it appears the access is only used rarely and then only to allow large vehicle access for pigeon pickups and maintained activities related to the Gala Fairmile Club.

With reference to the planning application submitted by Wilton AFC the

committee members stated that the football club were not directly associated with the Gala Fairmile Club and rented club facilities from the Gala Fairmile Club and that the football field was rented under a separate arrangement they believed either with the City of County Councils.

Having reviewed the application again, there is no statement regarding a

significant increase in visitation to the site that would constitute further consideration being required form ourselves.

Therefore the response provided on 25th June 2014 remains unchanged in

relation to the above planning application, it is noted that the site is accessed

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via Fairmile Gardens and has existing provision for off-street parking. The planning application is for the erection of floodlights, 1m concrete hard standing and spectator covered area. Having reviewed the submitted information there is no highway objection to the application.”

5.0 PUBLICITY AND REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The occupiers of thirty-nine neighbouring properties were notified of the

application by letter. The application was also advertised by site notice. 5.2 At the time of writing twelve representations have been received. The

comments raised are summarised below: Small stand – the small stand is in a poor state and has been a source of

antisocial behaviour. The players have urinated into the hedge and spectators milling around using bad language. I have been a supporter of the club but request that the old stand is resited on the other side of the pitch before another is erected.

Traffic - potentially increase traffic and parking problems to the area. Traffic

already impacts on the safety of residents as many drive too fast in and out of the club. If the club has ambitions for growth, this is beyond what the area can tolerate. Extremely difficult already for residents to get into their driveways and if an ambulance or fire-engine was called it would not be able to get through

Light pollution - floodlights will lead to increased light pollution in the area

which is already considerable from Oxstalls tennis centre. The high strength Lumen output these structures give out cannot be underestimated and the light bleed would be detrimental to residents. Without stands and structures to absorb the light it leaves residents exposed.

GALA club - there is already loud music at weekends and raucous gatherings. Noise Pollution- caused by training and matches far later into the evening than

at present. The impact cannot be underestimated with the pitches next to pensioners in their bungalows.

Loss of property value and loss of privacy Character of the area - this playing field is surrounded on two and a half sides

by residential properties. The lighting columns are out of character for a residential area.

Parking – Where are the fans going to park? The turning point by the GALA

club is perpetually used for parking making it difficult for delivery vans to turn around.

Flooding - More hard standing on the flood plain.

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Spectator area- location not safe. Suggest it be relocated adjacent to existing dug outs.

Use another club – Can the players use a local club which already has

floodlights Overbearing- object that the floodlighting columns would have serious

overshadowing and overbearing effects on our property. 5.3 The full content of all correspondence on this application can be inspected at

the Herbert Warehouse reception, The Docks, Gloucester, prior to the Committee meeting.

6.0 OFFICER OPINION 6.1 The main issues to consider are highway issues and parking, flooding,

character of area, lighting issues and noise. Highway and parking issues The County Council Highways Officer has visited the site and met with

representatives from the Oxstalls Tennis Centre and GALA club. There is no statement regarding a significant increase in visitation to the site and given the existing parking provision there is no highway objection to the proposal.

Flooding issues The sports pitch is outside the flood zone and the only additional hard

surfacing would be the 1m wide tarmac strip around the pitch. Therefore there is no objection to the proposal in terms of flooding.

Lighting issues The proposal is for the erection of four floodlighting columns which are

18.29m in height at each corner of the pitch. The applicant submitted the lux details which show a reading of 0.1 at the edge of the site. The applicant has agreed to only use the floodlights two nights per week on a Tuesday and Wednesday and switch them off by 9.30pm. Given the lux readings and the restricted hours of operation Environmental Health have no objection to the application subject to the hours of operation of the lights being conditioned.

Character of area The football pitch is surrounded by residential properties on two and a half

sides. The floodlighting columns will be clearly visible from the houses but have been placed as close to the pitch edge as possible (6m away). The proposed covered spectator area would be located on the eastern side of the pitch bordering Oxstalls Tennis centre. This location should not significantly affect the amenity of the neighbouring residential properties. The applicant has also confirmed that they will tidy up the appearance of the existing stand at the site which has been mentioned in the neighbours’ comments. It must be noted that the existing stand does not form part of this application.

Noise

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The applicant has stated that the number of spectators is usually about 43 and there is no indication that this number would significantly increase. There is no objection to the application from Environmental Health.

7.0 CONCLUSION/REASON FOR APPROVAL 7.1 This application has come before Planning Committee given that there are 12

objections from neighbouring properties. The application has been assessed by Environmental Health and the County Highways Engineer. Given the lux levels and the restrictions on the hours of illumination there are no objections to the proposal from Environmental Health. Due to the ample existing on-site parking provision there are no objections from County Highways. Furthermore given the location, it is not considered that the new stand would significantly affect the amenity of the neighbouring properties. For these reasons the proposal is considered to be in accordance with Policies BE.21, FRP.10, TR.9, FRP.9 and FRP.1a and TR.31 of the Second Deposit City of Gloucester Local Plan (2002).

Compliance with NPPF In accordance with the requirements of the NPPF the Local Planning Authority

has sought to determine the application in a positive and proactive manner by offering pre-application advice, publishing guidance to assist the applicant, and publishing to the council’s website relevant information received during the consideration of the application thus enabling the applicant to be kept informed as to how the case was proceeding.

8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CONTROL MANAGER 8.1 That planning permission is granted subject to the following conditions:

Condition 1 The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission. Reason To comply with the requirements of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Condition 2 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the application form, approved drawing numbers 1408/1, /2,/3/4 and /5 received by the Local Planning Authority on 29th April 2014 and email received 6th August 2014 and any other conditions attached to this permission. Reason To ensure that the use is carried out in accordance with the approved plans and in accordance with policies contained within Second Deposit City of Gloucester Local Plan (2002).

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Condition 3 The floodlights shall only be used on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and shall be switched off by no later than 9.30pm. Reason In the interests of the amenity of the neighbouring properties in accordance with BE.21 of the Second Deposit City of Gloucester Local Plan (2002).

Decision: .................................................................................................................... Notes: ......................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................... Person to contact: Fiona Ristic (Tel: 01452 396716)

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proceedings.

14/00506/FUL Gala Club Fairmile Gardens Gloucester GL2 9EB Planning Committee 02.09.2014

I have noted the comments by Mr. Wayne Irvine and would like to say the small stand which is at present in a poor state, has been a source of antisocial behaviour public . The back of this stand is about 15 paces from my garden fence and my conservatory. I have had players urinating into the hedge and spectators milling around using bad language. I have my grandchildren to stay often and this is not pleasant when we are using our conservatory for lunch or a play area. I have always been a good neighbour to Gala football club and pleased to see them progress within the league. I request that the old stand is resited on the other side of the pitch before yet another is erected. The club use the pitch in the season but I use my home all year and at best I have youngsters kicking their footballs against the back of the stand. Valerie Cleaver

Mrs Valerie Cleaver Having read and understood the various opinions on this application as Vice Chairman of the Football Club, and the person within the club responsible for this application, I would just like to provide some information in respect of the most commonly mentioned fears of the residents. 1. The main reason for the application is that we have to have seats, a hard standing, two stands and floodlights to go to the next level within the FA pyramid 2. The floodlights are one of the best around and LUX readings of the same type of floodlights for both on and off the pitch have been sent to the Planning Officer for viewing on this site. The Lux readings within 1m of the perimeter are very small and further than 1m are nothing. 3. The traffic issues are mainly on a Gloucester Rugby home game which we have no control over. Our average attendance last season was 43 and we do not anticipate any dramatic increase in attendance and hence therefore not in traffic volume or in parking spaces within the Gala Club allocated parking area. Indeed another local club Tuffley Rovers who play adjacent to a residential area have not seen any increase in attendance and issues associated with increased attendances. 4. The existing stand is being given a face lift to improve the appearance and use of the existing stand 5. The noise levels sometimes referred to with loud music are not within the control of the football club and are not related to the football club but activities within the Gala Club itself As much as I appreciate the concerns of the residents I just wanted to give some balance on what will actually be experienced if we are allowed to progress up the Football pyramid and this application is approved. Many Thanks Wayne Irvine Mr Wayne Irvine 1. Overshadowing etc.. Far from overshadowing it would be overnighting! 2. Traffic & transportation. The Eastern end of Fairmile Gardens is much narrower & unfit for through traffic. Every evening & weekend it appears much more like car park than a residential cul de sac. Jo Warlow

I would like to register my objection to this application. It will potentially increase traffic and parking problems to the area. Traffic to the club already impacts upon the safety of residents, as many drive far too fast in and out of the club. The facilities currently sustain a small local football club and its spectators, but if the club has ambitions for growth, this is beyond what the area should be expected to tolerate. Floodlights will also increase light pollution to the area, which is already considerable from the Oxstalls Sports Park (outdoor tennis courts and all-weather pitches) The GALA Club and GALA Wilton AFC already impacts upon the quality of life in the area, often negatively: - noise and occasional anti-social behaviour, particularly when people leave the club late on weekends and walk through Fairmile Gardens. - loud music at weekends, especially during the summer when the doors to the main function room are kept open. - large gatherings of raucous, loud, sometimes drunk people in the car park directly outside the main function room, particularly since the introduction of the smoking ban. Mr Richard Price I Strongly object to the plans applied for by the GalaClub for the following reasons. 1. Overbearing certainly, not overshadowing but overlighting! Some research shows that of the suppliers of floodlights, only one, the most expensive lists in their blurb affect on nearby residents. 2. Traffic Implications. It is quite clearly stated in the application that no arrangements are being made for parking facilities. Then where are the players and their supporters supposed to park? The section of Fairmile Gardens nearest to the Gala Club is a very narrow road and unfit for through traffic. During evenings and weekends some residents' cars are parked on the road there being insufficient hard standing on their own properties for more than one car. The houses in this part of the road have very small front gardens most of which are now hardstanding. Yes most still have a garage but these houses were built in the 60's and the inbuilt garages are too small to take family cars or trucks as some of the residents own. The turning point just beside the Gala Club, is perpetually used for parking making it very difficult for delivery vans or emergency vehicles to turn round without using the pavement or even damaging property, as has happened in the past. We already have rugby fans parking whenever there is a match at Kingsholm and almost daily cars turning into Fairmile for the Tennis Centre and having to turn round and go to what should be the designated turning off Plock Court. 3. The Environment. I have already stated that many of the residents have covered their front gardens with hardstanding, now we have more plans for more hardstanding on the edge of a flood plane. The floods of 2007 came very close to the proposed site and though some work has been done on flood prevention. only this morning, a new report warned that not enough had been done and more dredging of rivers was necessary. Jo Warlow (Mabel A. Warlow on the Electoral Register)

14/06/14 Dear Ms Ristic. Your ref. 14/00506/FUL This letter is to confirm our objection to your recent letter informing us of the planning application for changes to the present facilities at the Gala Club in Fairmile Gardens. If this proposed plan is allowed to go through there will be a significant impact on all residents of Fairmile & Highbank. It will not just be for those who back onto the playing field. As the hope of the football club is to move to a higher league, the relevant problems for this application are:

1. Light pollution from floodlights. These light pylons will be very close to properties. 2. Added traffic on a sub-standard width road (Fairmile) 3. Additional noise from players & spectators 4. Parking problems in what is already a congested area 5. Character of the area – this playing field is surrounded on two & a half sides by residential

properties 6. Although you note in your guide for neighbours that generally loss of property value is not an

issue, in fact, it is very much an issue. With the football pitch being so close to the houses, there will also be a loss of privacy. One option to consider would be for the team aiming to move to the higher league within the club to use a local club which is already equipped with floodlights for that standard of football required within that league. This obviously would be more financially beneficial to the club. Changes to the pitch they use at present are going to be extremely costly. If this proposal goes ahead the club will need to raise a great deal of money We are concerned the present plans do not take all parties, who will be affected, into consideration i.e. residents of Fairmile Gardens, Highbank Park and presumably Gambier Parry Gardens. Not just players and spectators!

Yours Faithfully Ben and Helen Hill

Fiona I would strongly object to the proposal on the following grounds: Floodlight

• A ~20m high column directly outside my property would be very overbearing with probable light pollution impact.

• Is out of character adjacent to a residential area.

Covered Spectator Area.

• Would attract anti-social behaviour due to its construction material. • Would restrict access behind the structure very considerably. • The location would not be a safe area for spectators, providing a very poor

viewing aspect. • Surprised at quantity of spectators provided, 25/30 currently. • Would suggest this be relocated adjacent to 'dug-outs', providing easy

access/safe position/better viewing perspective.

Could you please acknowledge receipt of this objection. Regards Gerry Powell Gloucester City Council, I have been informed of the planning proposal for the Gala Club flood lights, I would like to object to their installation. I have previously lived near football grounds and also work in the lighting industry. The high strength Lumen output that these structures give off cannot be underestimated and the light bleed would undoubtedly be detrimental to myself and the residents adjacent to the illuminated area. From a technical standpoint the reason this light would effect residents more than normal football stadia lighting is that the stands and structures that would normally absorb and contain the light are not part of this clubs facilities. This would leave residents exposed to the maximum light bleed. I would urge you to consider residents full time homes over the needs of a amateur football club.

Regards, Hayley Young

Dear sir/madam, I would like to oppose to this application proposal. Having seen the plans and heard the future plans of Gala Wilton football club, I see no area where parking has been taken into account. As this is not a through road where do the attending teams and fans propose to park? Light pollution. We already have plock courts flood light system lit throughout the year, are we also to suffer an even closer nuisance? This planning application is inconsiderate to local housing who are more than welcome to Gloucester rugby fans every other week but this would be a step too far! What a shame that the Gloucester civil service club was sold for peanuts. Lesson not learned city council.

Yours sincerely Mrs M Coughlan As residents of the above property we wish to make our objections known to the proposed plan Ref:14/00506/FUL It should be noted that it would appear only those residents living nearer to The Gala Club have been informed of this Planning Application, Fairmile Gardens starts at the Tewkesbury Road and as such all residents are affected. The Gala Club is a very busy establishment, we have to endure on a daily basis a high volume of traffic to and from, this is greatly exacerbated when there are games at Kingsholm Rugby Stadium, with people parking as and where they please, often in hazardous positions, it has been known for our driveway to be partially blocked off. On more than one occasion an impatient driver has tried to drive across our lawn [mounting the pavement to do so] when I have been trying to get onto the drive. Reversing off is always precarious. Fairmile Gardens has become a race track, no respect is shown for the speed limit [20mph] speeding is an every day occurrence, it is particulary bad at weekends when there is a football game and the volume of traffic is up. The road which is considerably narrower as you approach the Gala Club is already congested, it was not built to take the current volume of traffic, it can't possibly be expected to take any more, to pass this application would result in making what is already a hazardous situation potentially dangerous. Charles and Nora Lynch

Your Ref: 14/00506/FUL Dear Sir/Madam I object most strongly to another covered spectator area being erected unless the present derelict covered area is demolished prior to commencement of any new work. Gala Wilton have received many complaints from local residents and at least 2 letters from Gloucester City Council requesting the removal of the present semi derelict structure, which has been the centre of a great deal of anti social behaviour in the past. I question the need for such a large spectator area, but would like to see one constructed of a more environmently friendly material and open to public view, a very strong plastic material perhaps. The proposed floodlights are extremely large and would dwarf my property. The side of my home and conservatory are less than 20 ft from the proposed site of these lights. Could the

floodlights not be erected on the Gala Club side of the pitch well away from the domestic area. Valerie Cleaver

We wish to raise our objection to this proposal on the grounds that the erection of flood lighting columns will have serious overbearing and overshadowing effects on our bordering property. Not only will the very tall lighting columns be physically close to us, and visibly imposing and overbearing directly at the front of our house, but also the impact of the bright and high level lighting will be directed onto the front elevation of our property as well. The overall effect of this lighting proposal is detrimental to our residence.

Mr Edward Wilcox